Fire official: Bicyclist only moderately hurt in crash where car

A bicyclist and the driver of a Jeep Cherokee have been taken to a hospital after the Jeep collided with the bike on Santiago Canyon Road near Irvine Lake in an unincorporated area of eastern Orange County.

Gina Aubrey of the Orange County Fire Authority said the bicyclist suffered moderate injuries, while the driver of the Jeep is probably in critical condition.

"(The bicyclist) got a free lesson on why you should wear a helmet," Aubrey said.

Julia Jones Tester, a Silverado Canyon resident, said she was the first person on the scene after the accident. The Jeep rolled over several times, she said.

"He (the bicyclist) is the luckiest guy alive because he was not wearing a helmet," Tester said.

The bicycle, a carbon fiber model, was broken in half.

Lanes were closed after the crash. Santiago Canyon Road near Irvine Lake has since reopened. (Santiago Canyon Road at the 55 in both directions will be closed until 2 p.m. for construction work.)

The stretch of road, with a shoulder about 8 feet wide, is popular with bicyclists.